Check back often for news on harvest, winemaking, events and other fun wine-related things.
Save the date for our annual Spring Release, Saturday, April 1 and Sunday, April 2 from 1:00-5:00 pm at the North Bend winery. We will be releasing the 2022 Sunbreak Chenin Blanc, 2022 Three Forks Rose', 2020 Fly Rod Merlot and 2019 Derecho Petit Verdot. Wine Club members will get a separate email in mid-March with ordering instructions.
Here's our tasting menu for the month. There is also an extra library wine available for Wine Club members.
2021 Fly Rod Cellars Plastic Surgeon Pinot Noir, Oregon, Erratic Oaks Vineyard: 100% Oregon Pinot Noir from Erratic Oaks Vineyard offers pretty aromas of perfume, lavender, cherry, cinnamon and fresh cut grass. Flavors of cherry, raspberry, mushroom, olives, and green tea. The finish is juicy and long with medium tannins.
2019 Mistral Grenache, Red Mountain AVA, Ciel du Cheval Vineyard: Our 2019 Mistral features fruity and aromatic Ciel du Cheval Red Mountain Grenache with a splash of Columbia Valley Mourvedre and Syrah for body and spice. 90 POINTS AND GOLD MEDAL-Bellingham Northwest Wine Awards
2020 Reserve Syrah, Yakima Valley AVA, Dineen Vineyard: This Single Barrel wine is 100% Syrah. Bright aromas of raspberry, chestnuts, eucalyptus, olive, northwest forest floor and fig lead into flavors of dried cranberry, Bing cherry, pie cherry, raspberry, and cassis. The finish is long and juicy with hints of leather.
2020 Virga GSM Blend, Columbia Valley AVA: This highly acclaimed blend is 42% Mourvedre, 34% Syrah and 24% Grenache from Weinbau, Dineen and Ciel du Cheval vineyards. Blackberry, pepper, vanilla, and baking spices. BEST RED BLEND AND BEST WASHINGTON WINE-American Wine Society. BEST RHONE-STYLE RED BLEND AND PLATINUM AWARD-SipMagazine.
2018 Storm Front Red Blend, Columbia Valley AVA: Our signature bold red blend of Merlot (50%), Cabernet Sauvignon (18%), Petit Verdot (15%), Cabernet Franc (15%) and Malbec (2%). Plum, black cherry and rosemary flavors and aromas. 94 POINTS AND DOUBLE GOLD MEDAL-Bellingham Northwest Wine Awards
2018 Squall Line Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley AVA: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon with aromas and flavors of blackberry, cherry, plum, rosemary, cedar and mocha. 96 POINTS AND DOUBLE GOLD MEDAL-Washington State Wine Awards. 93 POINTS AND PLATINUM AWARD-Great Northwest Wine
2013 Dewpoint Riesling, Columbia Valley AVA, Bacchus Vineyard (Wine Club Only): 100% Riesling with aromas of lemon zest, lime and peach. The palate features pineapple, green apple, lemon, and star fruit. The 1.6% residual sugar of 1.6% (slightly sweet) gives it a honeyed finish. This wine has mellowed with age, reminiscent of great German Rieslings fetching twice the price (or more) on resale markets.
It is with a blend of sadness and excitement that Convergence Zone Cellars will be moving to the Tri Cities this spring. Due to a major change in my life, I can no longer keep the winery in its current location. I'll be closer to the vineyards and have more space for winemaking. Plus 300 days of sunshine sounds pretty good! Details on our new space and expanded hours will be announced soon.
Our current North Bend location will continue to be open for tasting through the Spring Release weekend, April 1 and 2, and possibly later. Everything is dependent on permits and licenses. Once we move, Wine Club members will receive free shipping on orders of three bottles or more. Release parties will be held at the new winery as well as a location in the Snoqualmie Valley.
More details on the move and new location will be coming soon.
Happy New Year! We hope you have a healthy, happy and prosperous year with full wine glasses. This month we begin the process for bottling in March. Ordering supplies, blending our wines, and updating wine labels are a few of our tasks. The 2022 white and rose' wines need to be stabilized so they don't re-ferment in the bottle or create an unappetizing (but harmless) haze in the bottle. Our 2022 red wines are all in barrels going through malolactic fermentation which converts the harsh malic acid to the softer lactic acid. Once they are all finished, the wines will be pumped into clean barrels--a process known as "racking".
The annual Enumclaw Wine & Chocolate Festival will be Friday, February 3 (4:00-10:00 pm) and Saturday, February 4 (2:00-10:00 pm). This is a fun two-day event that showcases 15 small Washington family wineries (including us), local chocolatiers and unique hand-selected vendors. You will also enjoy live entertainment in both event halls as you shop and sip! Tickets available at https://www.enumclawexpo.com/p/events/wine--chocolate-festival
Great Northwest Wine has awarded the 2018 Squall Line Cabernet Sauvignon a "Platinum" award and 93 points in its annual end of the year competition: "Snoqualmie Valley winemaker Scott Greenberg picks up his third Platinum in three years, thanks to these lots of Cab he hauled across Snoqualmie Pass from vineyards that are represented repeatedly throughout each Platinum--Phinny Hill, Coyote Canyon and Boushey. It's a classic Cab with notes of cherry and cola, cigar box and allspice, forest floor and orange oil, all tied up with plum skin tannins." Click here for more information about this highly respected wine.